Quint Kessenich: Breaking down the conference tournaments

CaptionLoyola coach Charley Toomey

Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun

Eastern College Athletic Conference Loyola vs. Fairfield, Friday Loyola stormed out to a 7-2 lead and held a 13-6 advantage over Denver in the early fourth quarter of their semifinal. But Denver rallied, scoring seven straight goals to tie it. A collapse of this magnitude would have been...

Eastern College Athletic Conference Loyola vs. Fairfield, Friday Loyola stormed out to a 7-2 lead and held a 13-6 advantage over Denver in the early fourth quarter of their semifinal. But Denver rallied, scoring seven straight goals to tie it. A collapse of this magnitude would have been... (Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun)

Colonial Athletic Association Drexel (8-7) at Massachusetts (14-0), Saturday UMass demolished Towson on Wednesday night in Amherst. The Tigers took a step forward this spring for new coach Shawn Nadelen, qualifying for the league tournament, but still have a long way to go before they are near...

Colonial Athletic Association Drexel (8-7) at Massachusetts (14-0), Saturday UMass demolished Towson on Wednesday night in Amherst. The Tigers took a step forward this spring for new coach Shawn Nadelen, qualifying for the league tournament, but still have a long way to go before they are near... (Thom Kendall, Baltimore Sun)

America East Albany (5-10) at Stony Brook (6-9), Saturday UMBC's season ended Wednesday night in a 19-8 loss to Albany. The Retrievers never found their mojo this spring, failing to win consecutive games. Slick and skilled, Albany was slow out of the gate this spring, starting 0-7, but has...

America East Albany (5-10) at Stony Brook (6-9), Saturday UMBC's season ended Wednesday night in a 19-8 loss to Albany. The Retrievers never found their mojo this spring, failing to win consecutive games. Slick and skilled, Albany was slow out of the gate this spring, starting 0-7, but has... (Robert O'Rourk, Baltimore Sun)

Big East Conference Syracuse (8-7) vs. St. John's (8-6) at Villanova, Saturday The inaugural Big East tournament has two huge storylines: the downward slide of Syracuse and Notre Dame's ascension nationally. The Orange is down to its final lifeline, with a faulty resume that makes the automatic...

Big East Conference Syracuse (8-7) vs. St. John's (8-6) at Villanova, Saturday The inaugural Big East tournament has two huge storylines: the downward slide of Syracuse and Notre Dame's ascension nationally. The Orange is down to its final lifeline, with a faulty resume that makes the automatic... (Joseph Weiser, Baltimore Sun)

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Canisius (4-7) vs. Detroit (6-8), Siena (10-4) at Marist (6-7), Friday Siena is the heavy favorite, going 6-0 in league play during the regular season. It has the league's highest RPI at No. 32. Four teams tied at 3-3 and had to be separated by tiebreakers....

Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Canisius (4-7) vs. Detroit (6-8), Siena (10-4) at Marist (6-7), Friday Siena is the heavy favorite, going 6-0 in league play during the regular season. It has the league's highest RPI at No. 32. Four teams tied at 3-3 and had to be separated by tiebreakers.... (Lloyd Fox, Baltimore Sun)

Championship week is under way, with the NCAA tournament starting next week. It's a 16-team bracket with seven automatic qualifiers and nine at-large selections. This weekend's results strongly affect the field and seedings. Wednesday night was nearly a disaster for Baltimore-area teams as UMBC...By Quint Kessenich, Special to The Baltimore Sun